Cut
by therisingharvestmoon
Summary: RE-UPLOADED AU, OOC. Julie Frost becomes the final victim of a delusional Dolores Umbridge. After a vicious attack, the sixth year Ravenclaw student compares battle scars with Severus Snape. They have both chosen a side, and have the mark to prove it.


**Note:** I think a pat on the back should cast a smear on a teacher's professionalism, in real life or my story. I know why the laws are in place, but some things are ridiculous. Physical contact is not necessarily assault. How is it parents can get away with murder because of their status, but teachers have in the past meant to downplay their humanity? This fan fiction is only a reflection of these views. I do not advocate illegal relationships. But people are people, no matter what their status. I also love Snape to bits. Enjoy.

_**Cut**_

She should have just kept her mouth shut, but it was so hard with that Umbridge woman. Julie Frost was a Ravenclaw in sixth year, smaller than her classmates and didn't have the intelligence that was her comrade's greatest quality. This was a flaw that Professor Dolores Umbridge has pounced on as soon as Julie had spoken.

An owl had arrived over the table at breakfast in the Great Hall this morning. It told Julie that her father had been seriously hurt by Dark wizards on Ministry business – what Julie thought to be a covered up Death Eater attack. She was one of the few people who believed Harry Potter about You-Know-Who's return. It was too dangerous for her to visit, her mother had written, and told her daughter to keep her head down and look after herself. She had thought of her quiet, intellectual father, who lacked the confidence of a leader and whose book smarts and mousy looks she shared. Julie cried a bit for herself before attending Defence Against the Dark Arts that evening.

She sat alone at the back of the class, not because she was an outcast, but because she didn't want to draw attention to her inadequacy compared to her friends in front of this horrid woman. So anally retentive, Julie thought, as toward the end of the class the toad realised she hadn't marked the role.

'Frost, Julie.'

'Here.' She half-raised her hand awkwardly.

A sickly smile spread across the woman's lips, and she ruined the lesson before even having the chance to dump outdated, useless textbooks in front of her sixth year class.

'Miss Frost, is it?' She asked redundantly, after just marking Julie's name off. Umbridge took a slow step toward the back of the stuffy, perfumed classroom, and all eyes were on the Ravenclaw girl, who tried to hide under her dark fringe. 'Was it your father involved in that _awful _attack at the Ministry last night? Cornelius was so displeased.'

The Slytherins look amused, probably because it was their parents' triumph. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws looked distressed; the Gryffindors split their collective glares between Umbridge and the sniggering Slytherins. They all awaited her reply. What could she say? Her chest stabbed painfully at the thought of her father, and a bubble of anger formed around the hurt as Umbridge continued smiling sweetly at her.

'Oh, if it's so awful, why are you smiling?'

There was a gasp of shock from the girls she shared her dormitory with. They would have never expected that from Julie Frost, with her pink lips and blue eyes and head buried shyly in a book at all times. The class held its breath, awaiting Umbridge's reaction. Julie flushed, not expecting the response either, and aware that now everyone would know of her personal life.

'I'm sorry dear, what did you say?' She continued smiling in a way that was unsettling, her horrible pink lips stretched over her flabby, grey face.

_She wants me to repeat myself! _Julie thought, panicking. Umbridge cocked her head to the side awaiting her reply once more. She was in enough trouble – she wasn't going to say it again. 'Nothing, Professor. I'm sorry.' She put her eyes to the desk and looked at her neat, slanted handwriting. The letters blurred as embarrassed tears formed in her eyes. She blinked, managing to push them away. She could feel Umbridge's beady eyes on her still.

'Oh, I apologize my dear. I was just making sure you knew what had happened to someone you hold so dear. It's such a shame to loose someone like that.'

Her heart dropped to her feet. She had been expecting … No. Not expecting anything. What did she just say? He wasn't… dead! She would have heard before now. Her mother would just let her go to classes knowing her father was dead. 'What!' Julie stammered. The class was dead silent. She started to stand.

'You didn't know my dear. Oh my – class dismissed. Come now dear, we must have a little chat.'

Julie looked around desperately for a friendly face. Katriona Brown and Emily Florence shook their heads at her in disbelief. Was Umbridge lying? What was going on? She knew she was a bitch for not letting sixth years using magic, but this was purely evil. Umbridge barked 'QUICKLY' when the Defence Against the Dark Arts class hesitated by the door. Julie's friends were the last to leave, and she hoped they were smart enough to have the common sense of getting another teacher.

'I am very sorry for your loss my dear.'

The silence left after the student's footsteps had faded added to the pressure in Julie's ears along with her suppressed tears and anger.

'He isn't dead! I don't know what the hell you're talking about, because I haven't been told anything.' Her breathing was sharp and she found herself standing, leaning over the desk. It was the most confrontational she'd been in her life. Her poor little Daddy…

Umbridge smirked – actually smirked. 'Yes, well, I thought I'd take it upon myself to tell you the terrible news, dear. You see, I wouldn't want you to get the wrong idea about your father's death.'

'STOP SAYING THAT!' Julie roared, her voice hoarse from never being raised to that level.

Umbridge turned towards her now, the kittens began mewing on the walls. Her eyes were wide and her face was no longer stretched with that superficial smile. 'I will not be spoken to like that Miss Front.' She stepped toward Julie menacingly, casting a silent spell. Julie's heart thudded in her chest as she fell back into the chair, and found she could not open her mouth to speak. Or scream for help, as it were.

'Now, Miss Frost.' It seemed Umbridge's sickly sweet tone had returned now that things were all in order. 'You seem a reserved girl, and I can forgive you for being rude to me this lesson, due to your loss.'

_Oh thankyou so much. _She thought bitterly and not so much as a hum came from her lips.

'However, I cannot excuse a student becoming misinformed. I am going to give you a quill. You will write down what you think happened to your father.'

Julie found she could move her right hand, and Umbridge pulled out a roll of pink parchment for her to write on. She found that as she wrote the words, there was only just enough give in her restraints for her to write the words down. _She probably thinks I'm going to stab her with the quill… I would if I could._

Umbridge smiled, her small grey eyes zoning in on the words.

'Tsk tsk tsk, Miss Frost. I'm afraid he is dead. Now try again, unless you think the Cruciatus curse would improve your handwriting?'

Julie stared up at her with wide eyes and realised she was dead serious, smiling more broadly at the student's shock. _Come on, someone must have notice I'm missing by now. Better right something down…_

This time, Umbridge's face darkened, and her ugly face went dangerously slack when she read Julie's next words. 'Oh no my dear. No, no, no. It was certainly not Death Eaters, or the Dark Lord. Remember, they've all been stifled by Cornelius.'

Julie shook her head fiercely. Umbridge slapped the desk with her squat hand.

'YES THEY HAVE.'

Julie shrank back stiffly. Umbridge now retrieved a quill from her desk; the end stained a deep red. She smiled and brushed the ink pot to the floor, not caring that it smashed on the floor, splattering both their feet. Julie was truly afraid now – Dolores Umbridge seemed to be mad.

'You see, dear, I intercepted your mother's owl with that terrible news; as I thought you should ah, learn the truth before you left here.' Julie's eyes widened in horror and she tried so hard to lunge forward and attack the toad-like face with her bare-hands in a form of Muggle combat. Invisible hands strained against her chest and she found it hard to breathe, so stopped struggling. _Come on, someone, please._

'Now, it would be very bad for you to get the wrong impression. So, you're going to do some lines, to compensate for your ignorance.' She handed Julie the blood-red quill in her relatively free hand. 'I want you to write, in large letters if you don't mind dear, "Death Eaters did not kill my father. They do not exist." Understand?'

_Lines? Why the hell would she even think of doing that when she seemed so bloody insane? She had a sinking feeling that this quill was the one her classmates had told her about. Julie Frost was meek, shy and well-behaved, and had never scored a detention, even with Umbridge. _Julie shivered as the quill touched the paper. She started on the 'D', but nothing happened.

Umbridge smiled. 'You might want to press down a little harder, dear.'

Pressing down into the paper and writing the words with difficulty, Julie felt a tingling in her wrist, which turned into a dull ache, then a scratching feeling, then finally a cut. She couldn't keep her eyes off Umbridge's wand, so kept writing. The cuts smarted and her hand struggled to keep pressing down with the depth of the cuts. She knew her friends had said it was like torture, but she hand expected it to be this bad. Her hand shivered as blood began dripping from her wrist thickly onto the pink paper. Umbridge looked down with a smirk. Julie had only done three lines. Her eyes were filled with tears, both her wrists mangled and still being cut by an invisible force. This wasn't right. It wasn't the regular punishment. It didn't take a Ravenclaw to figure that out.

Julie was terrified. She wanted someone to help her; she needed to find out if her father really was dead. _Dad, help me…_

Umbridge gripped the quill when she realised Julie's hand couldn't pick up the pen. Then she dug it into the paper, and with a malicious grin, tore it through the paper. It took a few seconds for Julie to feel the pain, and then it sliced her across the wrist. Umbridge continued to criss-cross the paper with the bloody quill. The sheer terror of anticipating the delayed pain was enough to make her heart stop. She couldn't move her bloody arm when Umbridge slashed the paper. She felt dizzy. _Why don't slash the paper… don't want to get your hands dirty?_

Even in her fogginess, Julie could hear faint footsteps, rushing. Umbridge was fixated on the young girl's face and appeared not to notice. 'You, Miss Frost, could be finished off by the Killing Curse, to tie up loose ends. How you cut yourself with a razor because of your father's tragic death. And no one would know any better.' The evil glint in her eye seemed to get sharper.

There was a huge bang and Julie closed her eyes. If it was the end she hoped she saw her father, despite being a sceptic about the afterlife. There were loud footsteps and another bang, and she slumped forward, hitting her head on the desk. She could move her arms now, and she gripped the desk so she didn't sway to the floor. Looking up blearily, she saw all the heads of houses and Dumbledore run into the room. She was surprised to see the latter – he must have known something about Umbridge and what she was up to. Maybe he could explain it to her.

Julie slid sideways and let herself go, her bleeding wrists stinging and throbbing blood. She looked up, seeing Professor Flitwick try and hold back her friends, trying to see what was going on. Dumbledore was yelling, Umbridge was pinned against the wall. Her father! Julie picked herself off the ground and threw herself forward, not seeing Professor Snape, smacking straight into his chest with a gentle 'duff' and falling backward. She didn't hit the ground, but remained still in the air as Snape held her shoulder to steady her. There was a lot of blood. Had to be stopped. Had to find out what happened. Blood on the professor's robes. Black of robes. Black…

It was warm, and soft. The sheets, and something else. Pyjamas. And another layer. A layer of bandages around both of her wrists.

Julie's eyes flickered open. She was in the hospital wing. The warm glow suggested it was early evening. Was it the same day? It could even be early morning. Julie felt totally disorientated. And sick, when she thought of Umbridge, and her wrists. Her father!

'Hello?' She croaked. Her voice was weak for some reason. 'Hello?' A little bit louder this time.

Professor Flitwick rounded the corner and approached the bed, keeping some distance so that his face could be visible from behind the bed. The tiny man squeaked. 'Are you alright, Miss Frost?'

'It... hurts.' She replied dumbly. 'Professor, is my father...?' Julie couldn't, nor did not want to, stop the tears that sprang to her eyes.

Flitwick's face darkened and he drew himself up. 'What that woman did was unforgivable, Miss Frost. I want you to understand that for a start. She should be locked up in Azkaban for the rest of her wicked days!' He stomped his foot and looked away. She had never seen him so angry, yet he was hesitating to answer her question. 'Your father is not dead, Miss Frost. It seems Ms Umbridge, with no direction from the Ministry, saw it fit to target you once she learned of the attack. If she made it look as though there was chaos amoung Dumbledore's supporters, it would mean it would be easier to brush off Death Eater's attacks as mere discordance in Dumbledore's ranks. It's despicable. It's true; she did intercept your owl. However, the letter from your mother revealed that your father had been attacked in the Department of Ministries, by Bellatrix Lestrange. Right under Fudge's watchful eye. If news of the attack were to get out... I can't disclose any more private information about that, but you need to know the truth.'

'So... he's okay?' This made her cry more when Flitwick nodded.

'But why, why did she... she...'

She could tell he was avoiding looking at her bandages.

'You believe Professor Dumbledore, and Potter as it were. The more 'loose ends' she closes up... Well. Professor Dumbledore is ten times smarter than she'll ever be. He knew of the attack immediately, knew Dolores well enough... Knew the owl was intercepted. He was staying with his brother, to keep an eye on the school...'

Julie could tell the attack had shaken Flitwick. She felt weak, alone, and desperately wanted to see her parents. A soft, deep voice broke the silence in the quiet in the hospital wing. 'Professor Flitwick, Professor's Dumbledore and McGonagall require your assistance. Professor Snape was standing by the curtain. He did not look at Julie. 'It seems as the Head of House, you need to make an official report.'

'Very well.' He thanked Snape and shuffled off. It was only then did the Professor look at Julie.

'Miss Frost? I am here to keep you company until the Professors return to question you.'

Her cheeks were still wet from crying. She held her warm, throbbing wrists under her breasts. 'Just what I need then...' she mumbled. 'Sorry, Professor Snape.'

His face seemed more passive than the usual cruel sneer he held in Potions. Though he wasn't as biased towards Ravenclaw as he was Gryffindor, she never got the same marks as any Slytherin, no matter how hard she tried. Snape's black eyes seemed subdued in the warm candlelight. 'I suppose I should ask, how you are feeling?'

Julie frowned and looked down. 'Relieved. It hurts... They're so deep.' She closed her eyes and tears seeped down her cheeks once again, giving her a sort of hollow feeling. She still couldn't believed what had happened, and now she would be reminded of it for the rest of her life by these horrible scars.

'May I show you something?'

Julie sniffed and tried to wipe away her tears as she looked up. 'Yes...' She was unsure.

Snape calmly looked down, his greasy, black hair falling forward in a dark curtain. He unbuttoned his left-hand sleeve, and rolled it up to reveal a pale, sinewy forearm. A burned black tattoo scarred the pure, white flesh. The Dark Mark. She had heard rumours, but seeing it on the Professor in real life made her heart race. He seemed to read her mind and half smiled. It was strange to hear him talk in a tone not biting or sarcastic. 'Do not be afraid. Those days are behind me. Scars can be useful, Miss Frost. They remind us of our choices. You are on the right side, believe me.'

Julie gaped, staring at the slightly faded scar. She also noticed light, white, bumpy criss-crosses that hatched behind the Mark. 'What - what are they?'

She had a feeling he knew what she meant, but instinctively, Julie put her fingers delicately on the white ridges.

Instead of withdrawing, Snape looked directly into her eyes. The feeling was so intimate, she wanted to look away but couldn't. 'You are lucky, Miss Frost, to have wounds now and to have chosen a side. There is pain behind each one of these marks. All because I made the wrong decision when that thing was burned into my arm forever. Believe me, there will be losses. Make sure you make the right decision before... there are any additions to your collection.' He looked down briefly at his wrist and forearm before whipping the sleeve down. Dumbledore stood at the doorway. Snape stood abruptly.

'If there is nothing else, I will take care of... it.'

Dumbledore's eyes were not focused on Snape, however, but Julie.

'Do you wish for me to keep you company, or would you prefer Professor Snape to stay?'

Julie got a sinking feeling Dumbledore had heard part of that conversation. Snape simply gave Dumbledore a strange look in response to the odd question, but turned to Julie as well.

'Whatever you wish, Miss Frost.'

She looked between them and saw the light reflecting off Dumbledore's glasses, not revealing the twinkle in his blue eyes.

Julie looked at Snape. 'I... wouldn't... can you stay?'

He nodded curtly. 'As you wish.'

When Dumbledore had left, the Potion's Master resumed his seat.

'I'm pretty tired.' Julie yawned.

'Understandable.'

'I won't keep you long I just... don't want to be alone falling asleep, you know?'

His black eyes found hers. 'I agree, it is not pleasant to be alone.'

'I'm scared.'

She shuffled into the blankets more into a ball, careful of her arms.

Severus looked at the girl, her dark fringe covering the top of her face. She looked very small. He put his scarred, self-inflicted mess of an arm on her back and rubbed it lightly, not wishing for the girl to be uncomfortable. She looked up and he withdrew his hand.

'I apologize - I will stop.'

'I was going to say, please don't. Hold my hand...'

She was too tired to care if her request was met, then a soft, dry hand grasped her own. She felt a surge of platonic affection toward the Professor as their scarred skin touched. Julie Frost slept, and Severus Snape watched over her like a raven in the night. Beautiful, but ready to strike.

**Please R and R. I started writing this without a romance in mind, just a sort of bonding, I know its OOC too. If you enjoy my writing, please let me know! Cheers.**


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